About The Climbers

Name: Brian

Age: 23

Hometown: Pleasant Hill

Nickname(s): Brepp, Repp, Brianne

What motivated you to climb Mt. Olympus? The combination of being able to help get kids outdoors and going on an epic adventure in the Great Pacific Northwest is what motivated me. Seeing a new environment and experience it seems like a wonderful experience for me.

Last backpacking adventure? Backpacking in Big Sur to Sykes Hot Springs, where I sat in a river-side bath watching the fog lazily drift down the river canyon.

Which Walking Dead character would you be and why? Rick because I am a natural leader and not afraid to shoot a zombie in the head.

Llamas are carrying your pack for the first 17 miles. What are you going to name your friendly companion? Well if it doesn’t already have a name I may name one

Favorite childhood memory of being outdoors? Climbing Mt Lassen with my Dad, friend and friends dad. It was so fun and was my very first summit!

What is the strangest food you have ever eaten? The strangest thing I have ever eaten was sea snails that I collected of the coast of central California and cooked over a campfire.

What would be your dream job? Either a SCUBA researcher or a marine scientist who studies Orcas

If you could sing a duet with any artist- living or dead- who would it be? Why? Freddie Mercury. I’ve grown up loving the music of Queen and would give anything to just see Freddie sing again but singing with him would be magical!

What Olympic sport would you like to try? Table tennis. I am secretly a stud player and practice till wee hours of the morning every day!

Favorite Adventure movie? Star Wars Episode 6: Return of the Jedi

Who’s the most adventurous person in your family? Describe what they do. My father or myself. He has climbed Mt Rainier once, Shasta 3 times and Whitney once in the last 8 years and is always going on some new adventure. I have climbed Rainier and I am constantly going on backpack and camping trips trying to find new adventures

What’s one thing you’re excited for on this trip? Hiking 17 miles through the rain forest of the Pacific Northwest

You just climbed Mt. Olympus! How are you going to celebrate? I’m going to DISNEYLAND!! Haha, actually I’ll probably just head into Seattle and grab a wonderful microbrew.

Other adventures planned for 2012? I want to plan a backpacking trip in the Lost Coast area of Northern California. I also plan on doing a lot of sea kayaking in the SF bay with Environmental Traveling Consultants. A non-profit that takes kids with disabilities on outdoor trips.

Name: Nicole Pare

Age: 23

Hometown: Yucaipa, CA

Nickname(s): NP, Colie, Spicoli

What motivated you to climb Mt. Olympus? I’ve always made it a goal in life to run a marathon, however quickly realized that running wasn’t my forte. What’s just as rewarding as completely a marathon? Climbing a mountain while supporting a great cause

Last backpacking adventure? In 2010 to Sykes Hot Springs in Big Sur, CA. Nothing’s more rewarding then soaking your body in a natural hot bath after hiking for hours

Which celebrity do you get mistaken for? Rashida Jones

What songs are included on the soundtrack to your life? “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen and “Go Your Own Way” by Fleetwood Mac

Favorite childhood memory of being outdoors? River trips with the family. Days were spent water-skiing and fishing off the boat

What is the furthest north you have traveled? I road-tripped up to Vancouver, Canada sophomore year of college.

Which author or filmmaker would you choose to write/direct your biography/biopic? Wes Anderson or if I were a true badass then Quentin Tarantino

One life goal? To obtain my pilot’s license!

Favorite Adventure movie? Currently, 180 Degrees South. Such a beautiful documentary with an incredible soundtrack. This movie also inspired me to accomplish a great outdoor adventure

Have you ever picked up a hitchhiker? Living in Santa Cruz for 4 years, picking up hitchhikers tends to become normal. They were always college kids, though, and it ends up being a great way to meet people

What’s one thing you’re excited for on this trip? I’m excited to really physically challenge myself, to see the night sky without the light pollution, and hiking through the coastal rainforest with a llama friend!

You just climbed Mt. Olympus! How are you going to celebrate? With an ice-cold beer!

Other adventures planned for 2012? Hopefully backpacking in Yosemite and hiking Half Dome

Name: Isaac D. Miller

Age: 23

Hometown: Pleasant Hill, CA

Nickname(s): The Champagne of Men

What motivated you to climb Mt. Olympus? The inherent human desire for exploration and an unquenchable thirst for adventure.

Last backpacking adventure? Sword Lake!

Which Walking Dead character would you be and why? The zombie girl with the bunny slippers. For reference click here.

What will you shout out once you reach the top of Mt. Olympus? “BY THE BEARD OF ZEUS, WE HAVE ACHIEVED GREATNESS!”

Favorite childhood memory of being outdoors? Climbing Half Dome at sunrise for the first time.

If you were going to do karaoke tonight, what song would you sing? Just a Friend by Biz Markie

Do you have any phobias? Spiders and being drawn and quartered.

Watch The Throne or Game of Thrones? Game of Thrones, sword fights > popping bottles.

What job did you have that you would never want to work again? Starbucks opening shift. No amount of free espresso is worth waking up at 3:45am.

Favorite Adventure movie?Aguirre, the Wrath of God

Tell me about an adventure you had on public transit? I once threw up on a full tube car in London.

What’s one thing you’re excited for on this trip? Petting a Llama

You just climbed Mt. Olympus! How are you going to celebrate? Fist pumping and champagne bath.

Other adventures planned for 2012? I would love to backpack around King’s Canyon again.